Rail-joint.



PATENTED MAY 8,1906.

L. M. SOBER.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 12, 1905.

2 SHBBTS-SHEBT 1.

' atboznug PATENTED MAY 8, 1906.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 atmowq UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LESLIE MORRIS SOBER, OF OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF TO JOSEPH A. WALSH, OF OKLAHOMA,

OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 8, 1906.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, LESLIE MORRIS SoBER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Oklahoma city, in the county of Oklahoma and Territory of Oklahoma, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in rail-joints; and its object is to provide a ointfastening which while simple of construction will securely hold the rail ends in positon and sustain the same against both vertical and lateral strain.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a to plan view of the meeting ends of two rai s connected by my joint-fastening. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.v Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of the rail and a longitudinal section through the fastening at one side thereof. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the bed-plate, and Fig. 6 is a similar view of one of the joint-plates.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numerals 1 and 2 represent the meeting ends of adj oiningrails, and 3 the supporting-ties. Arranged beneath the meeting ends of the rails and resting on the ties is a bed-plate 4 of proper length to support the rail ends at and some distance beyond the joint against vertical strain. This plate is provided at each end with pairs of laterallyproj ecting flanges 5, projecting from the opposite sides thereof, each flange having a notch 6 for the passage of a spike to secure the plate to the underlying tie. Each end of the plate is further provided on a line between the pairs of flanges 5 with a transverse lug or boss 7, having a bore 0r passage for the reception of a fastening-bolt, as hereinafter described. The central portion of the plate 4 is cut away or depressed below the upper surface of the plate to form a receiving-recess 8. The end walls of this recess are dovetailed or undercut, as indicated at 9, the ends of the walls on each side of the longitudinal center of the plate being convergently arranged or extending obliquely to the plate. On opposite sides of the transverse center of the portion 8 lugs or bosses 10 are disposed,

surface of the base of the rail and projecting downward to bear against the adjacent side edges of the rail-base and bed-plate and formed with an inwardly-projecting base eX- tension 13, provided with a'recess 14, opening through its inner face. The said projections 13 at the ends of the joint-plates receive and interlock with the lugs 7 on the ends of the bed-plate 4, and through the interfitting projections and lugs bolts 15 are passed to hold them securely tied together, thus rigidly connectingthe ends of the jointplates to the bed-plate and rails and securely staying the latter against lateral or sidewise strain.

Each joint-plate 11 is provided at its center with a cha1r portion to engage the sides of the rails at the joint and to interlock with the central portion of the bed-plate. To this end each joint-plate is formed with a web 16, resting on the undei lying base-flanges of the rails and having a downwardly and inwardly projecting base-plate 17, projecting beneath the head of the rail and into the adjoining side of the recess 8 in the bed-plate 4. The

- outer surface of the web 16 is formed with a flange 18 to rest upon the tie below the abutting ends of the rails and is formed with a notch 19 for the passage of a spike to secure it to said tie. The side edges of the baseplate 18 are obliquely arranged and are formed with beveled or dovetailed side edges 20 to engage the converging dovetailed grooved adjacent edges 9 of the bed-plate at the adjacent side. By this construction the chairs of the two joint-plates are locked securely against longitudinal movement and are sustained against vertical play. Lugs or bosses 21 are formed on the under side of the base-plate 17 of each joint-plate, and the said lugs of the two joint-plates are recessed to receive and interlock with the lugs 10 of the base-plate, thus further reinforcing the jointplates against vertical and longitudinal strain. The base-plate 1'7 when seated in the recessed portion 8 of the bed-plate 4 is held from lateral disconnection by bolts 22, passing through the lugs or bosses 10 and 21. The body portion of the joint-plates is provided with suitable apertures for the passage of bolts 23, which fasten the same to the rails 1 and 2. The webs 16 are preferably provided with strengthening-ribs 24, which preferably extend from the point where the under portion of the fish-plate engages the cut-under part of the bed-plate to a point in alinement with the ends of the rails.

After the bed-plate 4 has been seated on and fastened to the ties the rails are brought into position for connection and the jointplates then applied and secured to the rails and bed-plate. It will be apparent that the ends of the rails will then be firmly and securely fastened in position and sustained against both vertical and lateral strain and that the parts of the joint-fastening cannot become casually disconnected and permit the ends of the rails to separate or spread. The construction permits of the ready removal of either rail when occasion requires.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a rail-joint, a bed-plate adapted to be secured to the ties and provided with coupling members, joint-plates adapted to be arranged on opposite sides of the rails and secured thereto and rovided with coupling members to interlocl with those on the bedplate, and fastenings for holding said couping members in connected relation.

2v In a rail-joint, a bed-plate adapted to be secured to the ties and provided with a recess having undercut side walls, joint-plates adapted to be arranged on opposite sides of and secured to the railsand provided with chair portions having dovetailed edges to engage the undercut edges of the recess, and means for connecting the chair portions of the joint-plates with the recessed portion of the bed-plate to hold them connected.

3. In a rail-joint, a bed-plate provided with terminal lugs, attaching-flanges, and a central portion formed with a recess having convergent dovetailed edges on opposite sides of its longitudinal center and interposed lugs, joint-plates adapted to be arranged on opposite sides of and socued to the rails and provided with terminal base projections having recesses to receive the terminal lugs on the bed-plate, said joint-plates also being formed with central chair p0; tions having dovetailed edges to engage the said dovetailed edges of the recess, and recessed members to receive the said interposed lugs and bolts passing through the lugs and recessed portions of the plates connecting them together.

4. In a 1 ail-joint, a bed-plate provided with transverse lugs, oint-plates provided with coacting recessed lugs to receive the same and interlock therewith, and bolts passing through said lugs and holding them ELSSGIIZ- bled.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LESLIE MORRIS SOBER.

WVitnesses: 0. A. DAUGHERTY, GEO. D. BAKER. 

